Coach Hot Seat rankings: CBS Sports ranks the warmest seats in college football for 2022

A whopping 30 coaching changes between the 2021 and 2022 college football seasons leave this year’s offseason hot seat watch generally much cooler than in years prior. CBS Sports released their ratings and rankings of the coaches on the hot seat heading into 2022 using a 0-5 scale with 0 meaning “untouchable” and 5 meaning “win or be fired.” The outlet rated 79 out of 141 FBS coaches 0 or 1.

This year, eight head coaches received either a 5 or 4 from Dennis Dodd. Of the nine that were in the same boat last year, five did, in fact, get the axe, while Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh won his way off the 2022 list and UTEP’s Dana Dimel cooled his seat down. Nebraska head coach Scott Frost and Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards are the two coaches still in “red hot” territory.

CBS Sports boasts impressive accuracy on their hot seat rankings. The outlet cites a 65.7% firing/resigning rate for coaches on the list since 2017.

2022 Coach Hot Seat Rankings

1. Scott Frost, Nebraska
Record: 15-29
Rating: 5
The patience of many fans is running thin for Scott Frost after four losing seasons under the Huskers legend. Frost’s 3-9 record last season is reflective of a team in disfunction, not one that’s improving year-to-year.

2. Herm Edwards, Arizona State
Record: 25-18
Rating: 5
Despite trouble with the NCAA, Herm Edwards is preparing to coach his fifth season for the Sun Devils. Barring a notable turnaround, it’s possible that the 68-year-old is coaching his last game for ASU this season.

3. Bryan Harsin, Auburn
Record: 6-7
Rating: 4
A large exodus from the Auburn program this offseason made it look like Harsin might check out early, but he’s back for his second season. The Tigers lost a lot of talent to the portal and have a mountain to climb in 2022.

4. Dino Babers, Syracuse
Record: 29-43
Rating: 4
Dino Babers is now several years removed from his one winning season with the Orange and his hot seat was only made hotter with three lopsided losses to end 2021.

5. Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech
Record: 9-25
Rating: 4
Geoff Collins looked like he was on to something in his rebranding of Georgia Tech but with just three wins in each of the last three seasons, it’s hard to say progress is being made.

6. Willie Taggart, Florida Atlantic
Record: 10-11
Rating: 4
After rating a 2 on the hot seat scale last season, Willie Taggart is at a 4 now. FAU went on a four-game losing streak to close out 2021 and his overall record is still under .500, making this season pretty important for the former Oregon coach.

7. Jake Spavital, Texas State
Record: 9-27
Rating: 4
The Texas State Bobcats haven’t had a winning season since 2014 and there’s no indication yet that Jake Spavital can bring the program to the top of the improving Sun Belt Conference.

8. Marcus Arroyo, UNLV
Record: 2-16
Rating: 4
Two wins in 2021 were better than none at all in 2020 but Marcus Arroyo could be a victim of a new AD’s revamp plan if 2022 doesn’t go much better.

Safe for now

9. Mike Norvell, Florida State
Record: 8-13
Rating: 3
FSU never has had five losing seasons in a row. If Norvell snaps that streak this year, it won’t be a surprise if the Seminoles begin the moving on process, even while they’re still paying Willie Taggart’s buyout.

10. Karl Dorrell, Colorado
Record: 8-10
Rating: 3
Colorado has had six coaches this century and five since 2010. It’s unlikely that the Buffs want to make another quick change but expectations for Dorrell are going up in year three.

11. Jeff Scott, USF
Record: 3-18
Rating: 3
Scott received a two-year contract extension this offseason so he has some time to turn things around. He hired new coordinators on both sides of the ball, and added former Baylor QB Gerry Bohanon.